My name is Gene and I have the privilege of starting the new 2012 EasyStar thread.

I take over for Kevin Hines who started the 2010 and 2011 threads. Kevin has either created or gathered and made available most all the present information in this first page. This information comes from people like you over the years who buy, learn and fly the EasyStar. This opening page will be a work in progress and be added to and modified over the next year with the newest and most popular modification for the EasyStar I and EasyStar II as they develop.

Two friends of mine on this thread, Chairwolf (Bob) and NightRunner417 (Rick) have volunteered to help maintain and update sections of this first page. I feel the more people involved the better this thread gets.

So welcome again and feel free to browse around, ask questions, give advice, run off topic with us at times and have some fun as we share and learn in this hobby.

Gene
2500GENE

The attraction of the EasyStar (aka ES & EZ*) is EZ to understand:
-It's a favorite model for teaching new RC pilots how to fly RC;
-It's simple to begin with, having only three channels;
-It's resistant to damage owing to it’s wonderful Multiplex Elapor foam, and it's even better since it's a pusher, so the propeller & motor are protected during hard landings;
-It's stable and thus good for beginners;
-It's stability along with it's upgradability, make it great for many types of RC flying such as AP (Aerial Photography), AV (Aerial Video) and FPV (First person View, aka Video Pilotage); and
-It has achieved an amazing following of loyal, fun fans.

The “Sometimes More” Family of ES Pilots:
We are a varied group of people from many walks of life, who all share a passion for this wonderful RC model airplane, and sometimes we get a little off-topic… but eventually we come back to what brings us together…. The EasyStar.

As Brandie mentioned in the 2006 thread:

"From time to time you will see other "off topic" items come up. From the weather where I live is..., to I am getting married tomorrow and I..., to I am thinking about this other plane and I am wondering... That is because this forum has become like a large family.

"To me the EZ* is one of the best all round flying and the safest plane in my hangar. The EZ*’s soft foam body, rear facing prop, light weight, break-away wings, and relatively slow flying speed gives me a level of comfort to fly in parks, the ocean front, and electric RC fly-ins.

Based on experience it’s my opinion that new flyers/builders should start with the “stock” Ready to Fly (RTF) EZ*. Simple, slower, and safer are the better way to go when starting the hobby with an EZ*.

Whenever I post in the EZ* thread I try and keep new flyers and youngsters in mind. Even though we talk about advanced modifications and flying in the thread all new flyers should feel comfortable posting any questions..."

Sarge, Thank you for keeping the spirit of the EasyStar family going through 2009... we all owe you for the work you have given to the community.

We also owe a lot to so many other people as well, like JoeKnight, Brandie, Jurgen, MarkJayne, AlexEames ... far too many people to mention... I have learned a lot from all of you EasyStar veterans over the years ... Thank you!

If you own an EasyStar
... then please join in the fun and post... perhaps ask a question, help a new pilot with their questions, attach a picture of your EasyStar, or a link to your EasyStar video... If you don't own an EasyStar, then I recommend that you buy an EasyStar, fly it, & discover how much fun it is!

New RC Pilots... and those who want to become one:
Please feel free to join in and ask your questions... we all started out as new RC pilots, and we went through the same learnings you are going through... we are a pretty friendly group, and we'd like to welcome you to this great hobby... so please join in!

Also:
Interested in FPV with the EZ Star? We cover some here but check out the EasyStar FPV thread also.

Actually, this entire thread is my spot to bust Gene, but you have to start somewhere.

By the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR, everybody!

Hi, My name is Bob. Rick (NightRunner417) and I consider it a privilege to have been asked by Gene to help kick off the next chapter in Easy Star history. Gene and I like to give each other a hard time, but it's only because he owes me money and I have to keep up with his whereabouts.

But seriously, this thread is a continuation of many years of great threads about the Easy Star. But it's also a meeting place for friends from around the world. And I am honored to be counted as a part of this fine community of people. It's amazing how a simple model airplane can become the link that connects so many different people from so many different places and walks of life.

So, let's kick this thing off, and have a GREAT EASY STAR NEW YEAR!!!!! WOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, STAY AWAY FROM GENE!!! He will corrupt your mind, drink your beer (root beer in my case ), and try to date your sister. Not necessarily in that order. Just kidding Gene-O, my sisters already know about you...

This is a spot where we will post EasyStar advice for new RC pilots, which you'd like to see included.

This post has also been unashamedly copied from Kevin's opening posts from last year, mainly because (1) Gene is too sorry to do it himself, so (2) he asked me to do it, and (3) I'm also too sorry to do it, so I just copied what Kevin did. More or less.

In particular, we all would like to thank the following folks, for advice that has been copied from some of their posts, to post here: SargentW, MarkJayne, AlexEames, Galaxiex, ScrtSqrl, 2500Gene, JoeKnight, TheOtherCliff, NoFlyZone, ShaunHendricks, AJBaker, MichaeHay, Chairwolf(wait, that's me!)... and many other folks... Thanks!

Michael's RTF Advice (RTF means the 'Ready To Fly' version of the EasyStar):

"I know all the mods sound tempting, but they have their following of horror stories with inverted channels, swapped channels, etc. that caused many people many hard crashes. Why do that? Start by having fun, leave the crashes and the inextricable troubleshooting for later
So my advice is: go STOCK, buy an RTF *EZ and have fun after just an hour out of the box."

I know this post is long, but pay attention here kids, there's some GOOD STUFF here!!

First RC Aircraft Model Advice:

Regarding the model airplane to start with... Many models are not a good first model (even though it may look cool or fly well for an experienced pilot), because many models would have to fly too fast for a reasonably-sized park area ... and much too fast for learning to fly. When starting out, slower models are much, much better, as they are less likely to fly away, less likely to get damaged, and you learn faster with a slower model... so with a slow model, you get a lot more time flying and you learn faster.

Actually, the very best first RC airplane "model" to get is an RC flight simulator, like this one, RealFlight Basic RC flight simulator, (this one uses "Mode 2" which is standard in the USA & Canada; I understand "Mode 1" is standard in Europe): http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...1&I=LXXSG5&P=3, or the free FMS simulator.

The "RTF" (i.e., "Ready To Fly") packages normally include a battery and a Tx (transmitter), while a "kit" does not include these items... nor servos and sometimes other parts ... so getting an RTF set is usually better for a first model.

We, of course, are partial towards the EasyStar... the EasyStar RTF is a great first model RC airplane.

Keep It Simple:
Keep your first EasyStar in the stock configuration and power setup. Learn to fly it stock, first, and then later upgrade it if you wish.

Advice for Your First Flight:

The following quote is copied from a post by TheOtherCliff:

"1st advice - don't use a lot of throttle if you have a big motor. You will probably have to put in a little up trim for it to stay in the air with lower throttle setting.

Second advice - The first thing you do when you get in the air is trim it to fly straight and level and fly at reduced speed.

Third advice - get a bigger field with no trees (big bushes are not too bad). Those trees will be your next problem. Don't be within accidental flying distance of things you can't climb. Have a big enough area to land comfortably, a couple football fields side by side with trees on only one side is a good minimum.

Fourth advice - Landing is all about being:
- low
- slow
- the wings level
- where you want to put it

Plan ahead for these. Slow and level is important to avoid damage. Putting it where you want to is a luxury that can be done without at first. Practice flying slower for minutes at a time high up. You can't be slow if you are above tree top just a few seconds before landing. That is another reason you need a bigger field."

Advice for Your First Flight - Part 2:

-CG (Center of Gravity) Location: is absolutely critical to get right... Slightly Forward CG is Okay or even Good: If the CG is slightly forward of the manual's recommended location, that's okay, as a slightly forward CG will cause the model to be more stable in flight, which will help the pilot to fly the model successfully. I like the CG slightly forward, at the center of the spar cover... so that my EasyStars are more stable and thus easier to fly. ....... Rearward CG is Bad: If the CG is too far rearward, the model will be "twitchy" in pitch, and will be much more difficult for a new RC pilot to control without crashing. The manual recommends placing the CG at a specific location - do NOT place the CG behind this location until, at least you become experienced at flying RC models.

-Ask an experienced RC pilot, someone you trust, to check out your model before you fly it, and to fly it the first time. There are so many things which can go wrong in the model's setup, and in how one flies the model, that you will be much more successful, with fewer crashes, and less damage to your model, if you get help from an experienced RC pilot.

-Follow the manual's building instructions.

-Fly with the stock power system (i.e., motor & prop), initially... using a 6, 7 or 8 cell NiMH battery, around 2000 mah in capacity. Once you are ready for the added work and responsibility of LiPo batteries (LiPo's can catch fire and burn down your home if charged improperly), use a 2S Lipo (not a 3S) with the stock motor and prop, and be sure to use a LiPo-friendly ESC with a LiPo LVC (Low Voltage Cutoff).

-Practice a lot with an RC flight simulator, like FMS or RealFlight, before your first flight. You should practice with the flight sim until the stick movements become automatic, so you don't have to think about the sticks very much. I'd recommend about 20 to 30 hours of flight sim practice before your first flight.

-Fly in the largest, open area you have access to... with no trees, no buildings, no cars, no park visitors, no spectators, etc. for at least 100 yards x 100 yards (100m x 100m), i.e., two side-by-side football fields... preferably a larger area if available. The EasyStar glides so well and so far, that it takes a lot of room to land it. As your skills improve, you'll be able to land it in smaller areas.

-The reason to fly with no spectators for your first flights, is that you will be distracted, and you will look unskilled during your first flights... wait to invite folks until after you've practiced and have confidence that you won't fly into their car or crash during take-off ... I crashed almost every day I flew RC, for the first three months I flew RC...

-Fly on a day with no wind.

-Fly where you can land in tall grass, if at all possible, since it will soften the hard landings ... second best would be grass ... third best is dirt... fourth best is pavement ... next worst would be bare rocks... absolute worst could include: tall trees, buildings, moving road traffic ... or foam-eating pets.

-Be prepared to crash... a lot. You will crash... a lot. Did I mention that I crashed almost every day I flew RC, for the first three months I flew RC...

I recommend starting with the stock power setup, when new to any model... I flew the EasyStar with stock power setup and 6-cell NiMH batteries, for about a year, before upgrading the power system. The stock power setup works great. And a 2S LiPo battery, 2200 to 3000 mah, is just right for the stock power system.

-Vantasstic advises: "For simplicity, the proper size in-runner motor (28mm OD) will fit ... with no modifications needed other than running a 3-wire to the BL motor vs the brushed 2-wire config."

-NoFlyZone recommends: "A very nice generic system seems to be a motor of around 2000-2200 kV, that can handle around 20 amps of current comfortably from a 3s Li-Po, with an ESC rated for around 30 amps (always better to buy an ESC rated for more amps than you plan to put through it). And an APC 6x4E Thin Electric prop."

Each year, sooner or later, we have to have some reminders about the following. So, when those times come, please CHILL OUT and read the following. Many times, if necessary! Remember, we're all here to enjoy our hobby and HELP EACH OTHER. So, here's the review again...

Politeness Pays - I have learned the following from my own mistakes:

Please ignore posts where someone disagrees with you.

Post what you believe is helpful info.

Realize that teasing is often misinterpreted in discussion forums.

Encourage people to be respectful to each other.

If you post something, and later you feel it could be misinterpreted in the wrong way, please edit your post to something more helpful.

Realize it's up to the people who read the posts to determine which advice to listen to.

What better place than this to give a special thanks to our friend and mentor, Mr. Kevin Hines. I have had the privilege of knowing and flying with Kevin for about four years now, and I can tell you that in person, he is every bit the gentleman and friend that you folks know him to be on-line.

Kevin is an engineer, and in my opinion, a genuine scientist. He has a fascination with robotics, RC aircraft, FPV equipment, and who knows what else! He also shares his fascination with his friends around the world online, and has contributed MUCH to this hobby and to us as a friend. Just check out his home page! https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/member.php?u=105159

So without further gushing, but with genuine thanks and appreciation... on behalf of the entire International Easy Star community, I would like to say Thank You, Kevin, for your contributions as our Thread Starter for the last two years. We SALUTE YOU!

Hello, my name is Rick, but you can call me NR, Nite, NightRunner417, or as I sometimes prefer, "Gene's sole source of intelligent inspiration". J/K, he sometimes gets help from Bob, too.

Here, you will find many informative, adventurous, and/or just plain fun videos featuring the Multiplex EasyStar. You can learn a lot from watching these, as well as simply being thoroughly entertained. Enjoy! :-)

Those wishing to have their own video featured here may request such by sending a PM to myself. Please don't forget to include the video's link in your PM so I can properly evaluate it for addition to the gallery!

Good guidelines for videos for the gallery:

1) Please dear God no blatant RC flight rule breaking - we need to protect the hobby where we can.
2) Foul language or imagery NOT a plus.
3) Try to keep it short and entertaining - I know... practice what you preach, NR...
4) Stick to the topic at hand, which is the Multiplex EasyStar I and II.
5) Please try to stick with videos made in 2012, although I'll make some exceptions.
6) Videos showing the exterior of the plane are definitely a plus.

To start us off, here's one of my own (it's good to be the king!):

Testing my new EasyStar with clipped wings and some other new modifications. NICE!

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Images

This is one of the most frequently asked questions, for folks are new to RC building & flying...

There are basicly 2 kinds of props you can buy. A normal "tractor prop" and a "pusher prop". They are mirror images of each other. The motors direction of rotation is reversed when changing from a tractor to a pusher prop or vise versa. The stock EasyStar uses a tractor prop and the motor should spin clockwise when viewed from the rear. The convex side of the prop should always face the front of the plane no matter what the prop is.

I'll assume you are using the stock EasyStar prop... or any other "typical" prop.

1. Make sure the motor shaft rotates clockwise, when viewed from the rear of the aircraft.

2. Mount the prop so that the concave side faces rearward, & the convex side faces forward.

"Concave" means the middle is recessed, or "caved" in; this side should face towards the rear of the aircraft.

"Convex" means the middle bulges outward; this side should face towards the front of the aircraft.